Turkish PM sends high-level delegation to northern Iraq

ANKARA

A group from Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu’s inner circle will pay a visit Arbil, the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), in order to attend meetings to discuss the ongoing peace process, according to a report in pro-government daily Yeni Şafak.

Hatem Ete, Taha Özhan and Etyen Mahçupyan, three of Davutoğlu’s top advisors, will be accompanied by 24 academics and three journalists during the visit, said the report.

Each of the three advisers will deliver a speech at a forum titled “Turkey, Kurds and the Kurdish Regional Government: Strengthened partnership in a tumultuous region,” in which Turkey’s regional perspective will be discussed. KRG President Massoud Barzani’s right-hand man, Fuad Hussein, and government spokesman Safeen Dizai will also make speeches.

At a forum to be moderated by Mahçupyan, Ete will update participants about the state of the ongoing peace process while Dizai will explain the KRG’s position on the process.

The forums will also host discussions about how to boost energy cooperation between Turkey and Iraq.